NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The Carolina Cold Fury hockey series continues as the team’s most notorious party animal gets blindsided by the one that got away. Off the ice, elite defenseman Hawke Therrien enjoys his fair share of booze and good times. And why shouldn’t he? He’s worked his way up from the minor leagues and made himself a star. The only thing Hawke misses from that life is the … misses from that life is the pierced, tattooed free spirit who broke his heart without so much as an explanation. She’s almost unrecognizable when she walks back into his life seven years later—except for the look in her eyes that feels like a punch to the gut.
Vale Campbell isn’t the same girl she was at twenty. As crazy as she was about Hawke, her reckless behavior and out-of-control drinking were starting to scare her. She had to clean up her act, and that would never happen with Hawke around. Cutting him loose was the hardest thing Vale ever had to do—until now. Because she’s still crazy about Hawke. And if he could ever learn to forgive her, they just might have a future together.
The Carolina Cold Fury series from New York Times bestselling author Sawyer Bennett can be read together or separately:
ALEX
GARRETT
ZACK
RYKER
HAWKE
MAX
ROMAN
LUCAS
VAN
REED
MAREK
And don’t miss her Arizona Vengeance series:
BISHOP
ERIK
LEGEND
The Love Hurts series features sexy standalone novels:
SEX IN THE STICKS
JILTED
And the Sugar Bowl series is one treat you’ll want to read in order:
SUGAR DADDY
SUGAR RUSH
SUGAR FREE
“One of the best voices in contemporary romance.”—New York Times bestselling author Lauren Layne
Praise for Hawke
“Wow! Sawyer Bennett delivers perfect chemistry that won’t be denied. Hawke is sexy, emotional, and fantastic!”—New York Times bestselling author Sandi Lynn
“Sexy, raw, and edgy, yet layered with emotion and utterly compelling . . . Sawyer Bennett does it again with Hawke!”—Award-winning author Katie Rose
“Utterly irresistible . . . a worthy addition to the Cold Fury hockey series . . . I loved Hawke’s nature, which had a classic alpha-natured edge to it.”—The Romance Reviews
“One-click right now and let me know! #MustRead”—OMG Reads
“I love hockey romance and Sawyer Bennett does a nice job with this series.”—Smexy Books
Includes a special message from the editor, as well as an excerpt from another Loveswept title.
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I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads, so here is my review.
Hawke Therrien has been playing hockey his whole life, it’s what he knows and loves. After the One (or so he thought) broke his heart years ago, he has not even tried to make a relationship work. Why even try when you could party and just have fun. He didn’t want to go through that kind of heartbreak again. So he plays hockey and parties, that is the life he leads.
Vale Campbell was the carefree party girl until all those years ago, something happens and she pushed Hawke away. Thinking it was best for them both. She hasn’t gotten over him although she has tried to move on with her life but no man can ever come close to the One.
So when both Hawke and Vale end up at Cold Fury, him as a player and her on the coaching staff, it might be the beginning of the end for them both. Can they work together and finally talk about what happened in the past? Will Hawke get past the anger to forgive her? Can Vale let her feelings for him show without losing herself again?
I did find that the anger Hawke held on to was justified and if Vale would have told him everything when they talked, it might have helped things move along quicker. Although she acted as if she wanted to tell him she called and emailed him but she didn’t was hard for me to understand. Just ask him why the hell he didn’t answer her back. It was her biggest question, so why wouldn’t she ask? To me it was causing herself more pain because she didn’t ask.
I love everything about this series, I mean who wouldn’t, hot hockey players. Yeah I thought so. I find something I like better about each story and this one is the second chance romance and it has the pain and heartbreak and all the feels that drew me in and kept me reading because I had to know what happened next. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book, bring on Max.
On the ice Hawke Therrien is well known for his toughness and skill, and off the ice he is well know for his carefree partying ways, and he takes great pleasure in living his life to the fullest, he figures there’s no harm in it because he doesn’t have anything or anyone tying him down. He has no interest in settling down, he was almost there once, and it ended in heartbreak and left him with the desire to never go down that path again. He hasn’t seen the girl that shattered his heart in over seven years and he is not sure he could handle seeing her again, the hurt she caused has never really gone away, it’s always there lingering in the back of his mind. When she waltzes into his team meeting, and the announcement is made she will be working with the team, he is left breathless, and flooded with memories of the girl who once owned his heart.
Vale Campbell left her wild and crazy ways behind and took a more sophisticated approach to things in her life, and is trying to get her act together once and for all. She went to college and is now trying to follow in her father’s footsteps by working in the hockey world. She knew going in there may be a possibility that she might cross paths with the boy who once owned her heart, however, she wasn’t really prepared for the possibility of them being employed by the same team. Things between them ended on bad terms, and there have always been lingering feelings there, and now that she will be working along side of him she must try to find a way to keep those feelings at bay.
This was my first experience with Ms. Bennett’s work and I have to say it made a very good first impression, so much so, I plan to make a return visit to the series very soon, and acquaint myself with more of the Cold Fury Hockey team. Barely three sentences in, and Vale and Hawke’s story had me hooked, and dying for more!! This story was so addictive, it had me reading well past my bedtime, and I have to say it was well worth the loss of sleep!! Definitely one of the most impressive NetGalley discoveries to date!! Highly recommend this one, it is sure to leave you with a smile and have you looking at hockey players in a whole new light!!
Enjoyed the story – forgiveness, love does cover a multitude of sins
An emotional, heartbreaking, but extremely beautiful second chance romance. Hawke and Vale get their second chance which takes them on a journey of growth, forgiveness, respect, and unconditional love. I adored everything about this book.
I have always attempted to give ‘star’ ratings on my completed reads, just as a tracking method for my titles that I have completed. I have unlimited packages for audio, kindle, and utilize the local/state library.
However, I do not check the ‘I recommend this book’ unless I am willing to reread a book and or a series.
[I read about 5-15 books a month through kindle, and I listen to about 15-30 books monthly]
I have a full life as a nurse, professor, wife, daughter [daughter in law], sister, and mother. I love to read and love a thousand other lives by turning the pages in countless books.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide a review. Happy reading 🙂
his is part of the Carolina Cold Fury Hockey series. This wasn’t my favorite book in this series, but it is still a solid read. The story flows and the author’s writing style will keep you entertained. There aren’t careless errors. Hawke and Vale share a wild past. They were together for 4 years, broke up, an now 7 years later they meet again. There are some flashbacks to give us insight of their story. This is a second chance love story. There were times that I didn’t connect with either character. Then there were times where I just wanted to give them both a hug as well as a nice kick in the rear. The storyline is solid. Even though this is part of a series, you definitely could read it as a stand alone. I wanted more interaction with my favorite Cold Fury players. There were some interactions, but I just didn’t get as much as I wanted. Dual point of view. No cliffhanger.
I’ve loved this series and this book connected with me and brought out feelings I could relate to…second chance romances hit me in the gut but this one really brought out all the emotions.
“We’re both nursing hurt feelings, and to be hurt, you have to have the capacity to care.”
This book with have you laughing, crying, frustrated, hopeful, fanning yourself and tugging at your heart.
(3.75 stars)
I’m a fool for second chance romances and instantly fell for Hawke and Vale’s story. Hawke is blindsided when his ex becomes part of the Cold Fury staff. They haven’t spoken since she dumped him without a reason many moons ago. What I enjoyed most about their story was that it felt real and believable. Their reconnection occurred in baby steps. I had an inkling why Vale had dumped him but when Hawke finds out…his reaction….broke.my.heart. I can’t say it enough but if you’re a fan of hockey or sports romances in general then you’ll love the Cold Fury men
Love this series. Cannot wait for the rest of the series to come out!
Hawke can be a very appreciative man, “He glances at the tattoo again, mutters, “Eff me,” again, and then turns that intensity straight to me. “Get my jeans undone,” he says in a guttural voice rippling with urgency.” Vale knows how to give her man some news, “I’m moving in with you,” she says abruptly the minute my lips pull free from hers. Well, duh . . . of course she’s moving in with me. I give her a gracious smile. “And I’ll take up all of your closet space, just so you know,” she adds. Sounds effing fantastic to me. “And I’ll probably ****h at you to keep your dirty clothes off the floor. Just in case you were wondering, that hasn’t changed about me.” I love the men in this series I loved Hawke.
Sexy hot second chance at love…. So enjoy Sawyer Bennett’s books — keep ’em coming!!
3.5 Sorta Second Chance Stars. OK, I read the first book of this series, Alex, and then skipped to Hawke. Each book in the Cold Fury Hockey series is a standalone so you don’t have to read them in order. Each book centers around one of the Cold Fury players and gives you his story. The players move in/out of each book, but the focus is on only one player per book. Sawyer Bennett’s writing style is easy to read and she tells a good story.
Hawke’s life has always been hockey. He met Vale, his coach’s daughter, when he was just sixteen. They were a couple for four years and thought they’d be together forever. When Hawke is finally drafted into the NHL he has to leave Vale behind, but he figures it will only be temporary. The night of his going away party, Vale is acting funny. The next day, instead of taking Hawke to the airport like they’d planned, she breaks up with him.
Fast forward seven years. Hawke has just been traded to the Cold Fury. At the first team meeting of the season, he walks in to find out that Vale is their new AT. Rut-roh. This is their chance at a second chance that neither one of them really wants so this isn’t your typical second chance storyline. Hawke was hurt too badly to want to take Vale back; Vale can’t believe that Hawke was so callous seven years ago. Nope, they’re completely done with one another. Not opening that door again.
While I enjoyed Hawke, I liked Alex better. I don’t know that I can put my finger on it, but there was just something that didn’t click with me about Vale. I still really like this series, though.